ATTITUDE IS

EVERYTHING

A GUIDE TO DISABILITYEQUALITY TRAINING

presents

improving deaf and disabled people’s access to live music

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

54 Chalton Street, London NW1 1HS

W: www.attitudeiseverything.org.uk

T: 0207 383 7979

E: lisa@attitudeiseverything.org.uk

I support Attitude 100% because they believe what we all believe– Rock ‘n’ Roll is for everybody.

Alan McGee, Attitude is Everything Patron

Our Clients Include

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Academy Music GroupAssociation of Independent FestivalsBrighton DomeFestival RepublicGlastonbury FestivalGreater London AuthorityGreenwich and Docklands FestivalsHampshire County CouncilInternational Street Arts NetworkIsle of Wight CouncilJazz ServicesKent County CouncilKOKOLoud Sound MAMA GroupNational Arenas AssociationOxfam Stewards

Paradise GardensSFM Security ConsultantsSouth East England Development AgencySouthwark CouncilStockton International Riverside FestivalSt Pauls CarnivalSurrey County CouncilThe Great Escape FestivalThe Sage GatesheadThe Western WedgeTicketmasterTower Hamlets CouncilWembley ArenaWinchester Hat Fair

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

A Guide to Disability Equality Training

Attitude is Everything improves Deaf and disabled people’s access to livemusic by working in partnership with audiences, artists and the musicindustry to implement a Charter of Best Practice across the UK.

The ethos of the Charter is that Deafand disabled people should be asindependent as they want to be atlive music events.

The Charter Award is in 3 stages –Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each stagedetails the criteria for improvementsand advises on how to achievethem. We support and advise musicvenues and festivals to work throughthe levels and aim for the GoldAward, which demonstrates anongoing commitment to achievingBest Practice in accessibility.

Venues and festivals that sign up tothe Charter of Best Practice aremystery shopped by our team ofDeaf and disabled volunteers. Theirdetailed feedback on accessibility is then passed onto management,so that any potential issues areidentified and practical solutions are suggested.

Disability Equality Training is anintegral part of the Charter, inrecognition of the impact that theknowledge and attitude of staff hason the experience of Deaf anddisabled customers.

The Charter of Best Practice

The input from Attitude isEverything is completelydifferent from other sources astheir staff and volunteers areactually gig goers themselveswho understand customerrequirements as well as venues’restraints. They always make usfeel that we are working togetherrather than telling us what to do.

Tony Lawson,The Studios, Hartlepool

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Disability Equality Training aims toincrease understanding and toeffect change in the areas ofdisability and access, encouraginginclusivity and equality. Our client-base includes music venues,festivals, promoters, musicorganisations, Local Authority eventteams and Outdoor Arts producers.

Music is our specialism and passion.For the last 10 years we havefocused exclusively on improvingDeaf and disabled people’s accessto live music. Our qualified trainersare all Deaf and disabled peoplewho are passionate about live musicand attend gigs regularly. Theyunderstand both sides of the issue -the barriers faced by Deaf anddisabled customers who attend,perform and work at live musicevents; and the challenges faced by venues and festivals whenimproving access.

Every training session is bespoke, withcontent tailored to the nature of ourclients’ business, and the knowledgelevel of those attending. Our trainingis both thought-provoking andengaging; we get our audienceactively involved and use real-lifecase studies chosen for theirrelevance to the session.

An Introduction to Disability Equality Training

Excellent – the process of aninformed person talking aroundthe issues works for me!

Outdoor Arts training participant

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As the creative producer of the Liberty festival and a keyplayer in the outdoor artssector, GDF has enormouslyappreciated its close workingrelationship with Attitude isEverything over a number ofyears. Attitude has led thedevelopment of an engagingDisability Equality Trainingprogramme for event staff andstewards, whilst also providingthoughtful and practicalongoing advice on accessplans for the Liberty festival.

Bradley Hemmings,Greenwich and DocklandsFestivals

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Legal Obligations

The Equality Act 2010, which cameinto force on 1st October 2010,encompasses, strengthens and addsto the legislation from the DisabilityDiscrimination Act 2005.

All service providers must continue toensure that they are accessible todisabled people, making reasonableadjustments to remove any barriers,both physical and attitudinal, and tomake changes to policies, practicesand the physical environment toavoid exclusion or less favourabletreatment.

The legislation covers:

• Indirect disabilitydiscrimination

This can be by omission, forexample, not providingalternative formats or meansof contact.

• A positive duty toanticipate and makereasonable adjustments for Deaf and disabledcustomers, artists andemployees

This includes the physicalenvironment and policies.Essentially, you should notwait for someone to requestaccess; you should putreasonable adjustments inplace regardless, andconsider what disabledpeople with a range ofimpairments may require.

• Discrimination arising froma disability

Less favourable treatmentbecause of a manifestationof someone’s disability.

Our bespoke Disability EqualityTraining details your obligations andduties under the new Equality Act,and where these may differ from theformer Disability Discrimination Act.However, Attitude is Everythingencourages participants to gobeyond the legal requirements andour training sessions will assist you inadopting a Best Practice approach,ensuring that all of your customershave the best possible experience.

It wasn’t until my accident on arecent tour that I fully realisedhow hellish getting around thecountry in a wheelchair wasgoing to be. Four weeks ofasking roadies for piggybacksup three flights of stairs took allthe fun out of what should bethe best job in the world.

Blaine Harrison, Mystery Jetsand Attitude is Everything

Patron

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The Business Case

There are obvious ethical and legalreasons to improve access, butinvesting in Disability Equality Trainingalso makes sound business sense.Our clients are regularly amazed bythe strength of reaction they receivefrom customers and employeeswhen they improve theiraccessibility. The changes oftenenrich the experience of allcustomers, whether disabled or not,inevitably generating new business,diversifying audiences andincreasing revenue.

Deaf and disabled customers are often overlooked despiterepresenting an annual spendingpower estimated at £80 billion peryear in the UK. Few people travel togigs on their own and if you turn awayDeaf and disabled people, then youare missing out on the business of theirfriends and family too.

Working with Attitude is Everythingcan open the door to this relativelyuntapped market and can assistyour organisation to: -

• Attract more Deaf anddisabled customers and awider variety of artists,therefore increasing youraudience base

• Save time by creatingguidelines and policies sothat staff can easily dealwith access enquiries,leading to fewer complaintsfrom Deaf and disabledcustomers

• Remove the guesswork andavoid spending money onexpensive facilities andrefurbishments that may notoffer the most accessible, orinclusive, option

• Increase chances ofsecuring long-term fundingby broadening youroutreach work

• Reduce the need to engageexternal consultants toprovide support on accessissues

• Make accessible guidelines,policies and practices partof your induction for newstaff, disseminating theinformation and policiesacross your workforce

• Consider the most costeffective ways to make yourevents accessible

Glastonbury and Attitude isEverything have been workingtogether for a number of years to improve the disabled access.Although a large and challengingsite, we now have about 300disabled festival goers attending yearly.

Claire Elsam, GlastonburyFestival

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Implementing Best Practice policyand procedure changes can be freeof cost, and much of our advice istargeted at Grassroots venues whocan make a positive impact withlimited resources.

The Deaf and disabled community inthe UK is tightly networked and newsspreads fast. Good access, and mostimportantly, improved access will berewarded with additional custom frompassionate music fans as their accessrequirements are met.

It was a real eye opener workingwith Attitude is Everything. Wefound straight away that therewere a number of simple stepswe could undertake without much cost.

Sian Thomas, Director,Winchester Hat Fair

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It is grassroots venues that havetraditionally given live music thechance to flourish and grow andwhere disabled people find itmost difficult to get the most outof as performers or spectators.

Alan Kerr, Access Auditor anddisabled music fan

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Case Studies

Music Venue: KOKO

KOKO signed to the Charter of BestPractice in April 2008. During a Policytraining session, the managementteam at KOKO created a strong,‘live’ Action Plan, already resulting inthe achievement of the Bronze Levelwithin a year of signing up. Theyinvested in Disability Equality Training,implemented new access policiesand made some physical changesto the venue. They are now workingtowards the Silver Level of theCharter, with some elements alreadyfulfilled and more changes planned.

All frontline staff have receivedIntroductory Disability EqualityTraining, and are now booked in forthe Advanced level.

Under KOKOs new policy, whendisabled customers arrive, they areoffered a welcome pack whichdetails the access at the venue. Anexcellent accessible viewing areahas been created, and, as access tothe bar is not yet possible, abartender service has beenintroduced. Since signing theCharter, they have developed aregular Deaf and disabledaudience, and after creatingbackstage access, they are nowable to provide a far morecomfortable and equal experience for Deaf and disabled artists.

KOKO was superb onWednesday and I had a reallygreat night. Amadou andMariam were really brilliant andI thought the venue was by far one of the best I have been to. It was evident that they haveworked closely with Attitude isEverything and this made amassive difference to thepositive experience that myselfand the people I went with had.

KOKO customer

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The training we have receivedfrom Attitude is Everything hasbeen of enormous value -increasing staff knowledge andawareness, as well as helping usto develop workable policies onaccess at KOKO. We have hadfantastic feedback and are veryproud of the progress we havemade. A rolling trainingprogramme is now in place toensure standards remain high.

Mike Hamer, OperationsManager, KOKO

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Some examples of how our training has assisted our clients to improve their access:

Festivals: Festival Republic

Festival Republic have been workingwith Attitude is Everything since 2000,when Attitude is Everything was firstset up. Key staff members haveattended Disability Equality Trainingsessions and all their festivals aresigned up to our Charter of BestPractice, working their way towardsthe Gold Level.

Attitude is Everything run aninformation tent, and recruit Deaf anddisabled stewards for Festival Republicevents including Reading and LeedsFestivals, Glastonbury, Latitude andThe Big Chill. The number of Deaf and disabled customers increasesyear-on-year at Festival Republicevents and at Reading Festival in2009, there were 190 disabled andDeaf people, and approximately 600people in total, booked onto theaccessible campsite.

Outdoor Arts: Blue Touch Paper Carnival

Blue Touch Paper Carnival is a newcarnival project run by West Sussexand linked to the Carnival LearningCentre on the Isle of Wight. Theproject hopes to see disabled andnon-disabled people workingtogether to make top quality Carnivalthat is inclusive and accessible to all.

With the Blue Touch Paper Carnival stillin the planning stages, the trainingcould not have come at a better timefor Project Manager, Sarah Pickthall.“Without a doubt the training had realvalue and has heightened our teamawareness and confidence.” Sarahand her team, who attended the Isleof Wight training day, were reallyimpressed with the trainer and thedifferent perspective she was able togive on outdoor events. “The qualityof the trainer made all the difference.Steph really knew her stuff. She had an awareness and honesty that was refreshing”.

Sarah predicts that developingproposals for support and planningresources will be easier with thesupport of the “brilliant” trainingpack. It has become a valuablereference manual.

I started to work in partnershipwith them because they gave mepractical solutions to realchallenges.

Melvin Benn, ManagingDirector, Festival Republic

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Since working with Attitude isEverything, the number ofpeople attending our eventsincreased dramatically as weimproved access, and equally,we continued to give the issuesmore and more consideration asnumbers went up.

Sharon Reuben, Artist andGuest Liaison, Festival

Republic

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Disability Equality Training Packages

We have developed a series oftraining modules specifically for theLive Music and Outdoor Arts sector.There are set module courses tointroduce disability equality to frontline staff or policymakers, andintermediate courses for those whohave already made the first steps.

Set module templates are between3 and 5 hours and are generallydelivered to up to 15 participants. Allexisting courses can be adapted toyour needs and are flexible in termsof length and size.

Our courses are bespoke andcreated in consultation with clients;we listen to what you want to get outof it and create a tailored packagespecifically to achieve your goals.

Our staff will be more than happy todiscuss researching and creatingentirely new modules if we don’talready cover exactly what you thinkyou’ll benefit from most.

We will also be hosting various regularopen training sessions, including ourIntroductory and Advanced DisabilityEquality Training for individuals orgroups. These open sessions willprovide a cost effective alternativefor organisations that don’t requireour bespoke service and wish to onlytrain a small number of staff.

• Implementing the DisabilityDiscrimination section of the EqualityAct and adopting Best Practice

• Barriers and issues faced by Deafand disabled people at musicvenues and festivals

> Including customers, artists andemployees

• Equipping participants with the skillsto tackle the physical, attitudinal,and creative challenges

• The Social Model of Disability

• How legislation relates to theservices provided for artists andemployees as well as customers

• Best Practice Customer Care > Created for customer-facing staff

• Marketing to Deaf and disabledpeople and building specific audiences

• Disability Action Planning: creatingand implementing inclusive polices

> Created for decision-makers andkey managers

• Making Outdoor Events accessible > Created for Creative Producers,

Festival Organisers and LocalAuthority Officers who produceOutdoor Arts work

• Inclusive workshops, networkingand educational days

• Making your Board or ExecutiveCommittee inclusive

• Accessible recruitment, trainingand working practices

> Created for Stewarding, Securityand Live Music organisations

Our aim is to create a system whichenables knowledge to bedisseminated to future employeesand we provide a comprehensivetraining pack with practical adviceand relevant case studies.

One of the key outcomes of thetraining sessions will be a DisabilityAction Plan for your organisation, laidout in clear, achievable terms andready to implement at your events.

Training Modules include:

PricingAs our training packages arebespoke, our prices are variable;we operate a sliding scale pricingsystem dependant on the sizeand nature of the organisationand will do what we can to meetyour needs within your budget.We also have limited funds,generously provided by FestivalRepublic, available for bursariestowards the cost of training forGrassroots organisations.

Other ServicesWe undertake Access Auditingand a wide range ofConsultancy work. Pleasecontact us to discuss yourrequirements.

54 Chalton Street London NW1 1HS

T: 0207 383 7979E: lisa@attitudeiseverything.org.ukW: www.attitudeiseverything.org.ukText Relay: 18001 0207 383 7979

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Patrons: Mat Fraser | Robert Wyatt | Susan Hedges | Alan McGee | Blaine Harrison |Amadou and Mariam | Drugstore

Reg Company No: 6397532Charity No: 1121975

I am happy to support Attitude isEverything because physically impairedyoungsters should be able to join theiraesthetically impaired peers indebauched evenings of binge dancing,where one can witness first hand thebang, wallop, screech, crash, bang,thump, thump of musical entertainment!

Robert Wyatt, Attitude is Everything Patron

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